Sad....

My parents left yesterday...I drove them to the airport in Ontario...it is about 2 hours, so I had Erin watch Zach and Erin for me so I wouldn't have to make them sit in the car for the 4 hour car trip...and I knew it would be easier to say goodbye at home for them. We ate dinner and then it was time for me to drive back home...it was hard. I hated seeing them leave...it is never easy to say goodbye to them. No matter if we have a fight or disagreement, we talk things out and work things out and I always am thankful for their time. I think that is the thing I wish they would realize most...I just love having the time with them. Yes, it was great to have their help with the kids and chances to do things I can't when I am here alone...but most of all I loved having their company. I loved getting to see them each day, talk, hug, and share my life. It was so much fun to see the kids with them and those relationships blossom and strengthen. Being in our home this time was great...we usually go and visit them for long amounts of time, but their visits to see us are usually very short. So, this was in fact a treat for me and the kids unlike one we had before. I know for my mom and dad though it wasn't easy and wasn't always fun.
My mom and dad went to see my grandmother the first weekend after they got here. It was a hard trip for my mom and emotionally just very draining and painful. My grandmother is declining and a lot and no matter how prepared you are in life for the things to happen, you are never really ready when it is someone you love.
Living here on base limits my parents to being able to go and do freely since they don't have IDs and access to the BX, commissary, etc. So, that makes it hard too...my house is considerably bigger than those I have lived in before in many ways and newer, but it is still small. I gave them my room and bed and bunked out on the sofa bed. It was not too bad and worked out well.
The kids had a wonderful visit. My parents got see Zach's schools...they met his teacher in Palmdale and got to see how our daily lives are here, our routine, what we do, etc. They got to really know Erin a lot more and see her personality and boy does she have one. :) They got to see how the kids interact and the relationship they have which was fun. Zachary has always been very close to my mom and spent more time with her over the years...this trip it was awesome to see his relationship with my dad develop into something much more special and personal. They played together a lot and Zach would ask grandpa to come in his room and then shut the door so they could play alone, telling my mom and I we couldn't come in. So funny. Zach is a special boy and so loving...he just ate up all the time and attention they gave to him. My dad would give him change to put his in piggy bank and Zach would say thank you, tell grandpa what the coins were and then proceed to take half to Erin's bank. No one told him to do that, he just did. He amazes me. He knows we are going to see them in NC on December 14 and he is very excited. I am not as thrilled because I can only think about the travel there and how I am not sure I planned so well....but we live and learn, right.
I am so very thankful to my parents for coming all this way to the middle of no where to spend their time with my family. The love and happiness they brought to the kids and to me was priceless. I needed some perspective and clarity on things and having them to talk to helped me so much. I haven't be shy about stating how much I have been disappointed in my friends here and how sad I am that I have so many wonderful friends that are so far way...I miss them and miss the feeling of having real friends...the people i know here are no friends...they are people I know and to me there is a huge difference. I won't be sad to leave here, that is for sure. So, to have people around that love me and get me was great and something I needed. I am so very lucky to have Jay and Karen as my parents. No, just like me they aren't perfect and we do argue and disagree...but I love them and wouldn't know what to do without them in my life.
7 weeks to go until I head to NC...7 behind me...and 4 left once i get to NC until I see Brandon....I think I can, I think I can...